Dissonance

Adventure Summaries

Adventure 1: A Joint Venture

Brief

The Joint Acryn Magical Investigation Division, a newly founded endeavour, seek aspiring adventurers to aid with the recovery of a dangerous individual for the City Watch in order to aid their investigations. Interested individuals should report to “The Magpie Emporium” in the Merchant’s district and seek out Mage Swallow.

Characters

Summary

The party assembled in the night to meet with Mage Swallow, a representative of the Joint Acryn Magical Investigation Division (JAMID), who asked for their assistance with acquiring a component for an artefact to potentially provide indefinite stabilisation to areas of Flux: the body of a Wayfinder. The Wayfinder in mind was a wanted murderer by the Watch, and the agreement that JAMID could do this instead of the multiple death penalties had been signed off on by the Watch and rubber stamped by the Council. Walker asked whether the Wayfinder’s Guild was involved, and was irritated to discover they had been deliberately left out. Astraeus raised objections to the morality of the endeavour, but the party agreed that what they were being hired to do was simply catch a wanted murderer: the ethics could be resolved later.

Under the cover of darkness, the party entered the woods where their quarry, one Jordan Weaver, had fled. They entered the Flux and fought off woodland spirits before encountering an injured associate of Weaver who alleged she’d been stabbed in the back for trying to take some money on the side. The party healed her, and brought her along to the camp where they found a wolf savaging some more of Weaver’s associates. Quickly they realised that a lycanthropic Flux curse had afflicted the bandits, and soon they were beset upon by werewolves under the full moon bright in the sky. Ambrosia was bitten, but the effects were stunted by quick action by Walker and Tabitha.

They left Antonia, the associate of Weaver, in the camp to pick up later (herself not wanting to go on, with Walker making it clear he didn’t care much for her and the party should not either). The party moved on to a tower, inhabited by Leader Priests who seemed to have been deafened by constant exposure to incredibly loud bells at the top (as well as another cult of Leader Priests who they claimed took it upon themselves to make as much noise as possible). They extorted 40R of tribute out of the party as they ascended, believing Weaver to be at the top of the tower.

Indeed, Weaver was there, who ran into a Flux-shaped fortress of his own device while another associate - Lookout Pete - bombarded the party as they ascended until he submitted, still stalling for time. With Walker concentrating on land-shaping against the world-shaping Weaver, the castle was stable enough to enter and find Weaver beset upon by flux vultures. Between the party and the vultures, Weaver was bested, knocked unconscious and brought back to the city (along with Antonia, who was swiftly handed over to the watch, despite Tabitha’s protestations). Walker removes the stolen contents from Weaver without any of the others noticing.

Returning to Mage Swallow, the party handed over Weaver, were paid 18R each (Tabitha reimbursed the toll the Leader Priests had exacted) and invited to a conference of JAMID that was still running late into the evening.

Freeform 1: A Rocky Start

At the conference, mages from the College of the Stars and the People’s College are both present, explaining their forays into investigating fascinating areas of magic. It’s not long, however, before they are openly criticised by Astraeus, Walker, Tabitha, and Alexander for their plans to essentially hold the captured Wayfinder in a state of permanent imprisonment inside his own body, despite the assurances of Mage Swallow and Arch Dean Rath of the College of the Stars.

Walker expresses considerably more annoyance the JAMID did not consult the Wayfinders' Guild on a Flux-related matter, citing violations of city law. Tabitha and Alexander express amazement that this is the case and begin investigating further how much control the Wayfinders’ Guild has over Flux-related matters, with the general word being “all matters related to the Flux are the jurisdiction of the Wayfinders’ Guild”.

Alfie attracts a lot of attention as a talking dog, and particularly the intrigue of Xavier Sarmandastra, who himself becomes petitioned to do something about the JAMID plans for a Wayfinder. He and Tabitha attempt to contact Vincta Terrec who brushes the pair of them away given it’s the middle of the night.

Astraeus, concerned that the Council approved these matters, contacts Armand who can only vaguely recall seeing something like this, but vows to look into it further.

Mage Swallow and Arch Dean Rath attempt to do damage control by discussing their other endeavours, but a lot of the damage is already done, though they do detail the rumours of terrible experimentation going on in the Wayfinders’ Guild to Alexander Everett, who is most concerned, before wrapping up the official evening, leaving the guests to leave whenever they liked.

Adventure 2: Missing People

Brief

Madam Angelica Baker, chief representative of the Merchant’s District of Acryn, seeks aid from Adventurers in locating her missing daughter, Rebecca, whom she has not seen for over a week. Pay is to be 27R for the safe return of the young Rebecca. Interested parties should meet Madam Baker at her offices in the Merchant’s District for further instruction.

Characters

Summary

The party meet with Madam Baker who explains that her daughter, Rebecca, good as gold, 18 years old, wouldn’t hurt a fly, has gone missing. She has no idea who could have taken her or why, and the party are sympathetic (with Hardy providing comfort food). They promise to go and find her and bring her back, and are given a rolled up portrait of her from a few years ago, and the idea that she might be at the King’s Head tavern.

The party arrives at the King’s Head to find a confrontation between several gangs and the barman, who it arises has been trying to set the gangs against each other. They attack the barman who is defended by the party, but not before his arm is removed. Simon stops one of the gang members trying to make off with the barman’s cash, pocketing 18R, while Simone runs to a Tender Church for assistance. A Tender Priest attends the scene and reattaches the barman’s arm in exchange for an implied ongoing donation to the Tender Church. Back in one piece, the barman suggests the party investigate the docks, where the young Rebecca has apparently been getting along with the sailors.

At the docks, a fracas breaks out between Captain Jenkins of the Horrid Eel and a crew of Cargan-employed sailors over the apparent disappearance of the Horrid Eel. Things break out, and the Watch are called by Simone, while Vermillion watches from afar. The Watch decide to arrest all of the arguing sailors who try to flee in both directions. The private sailors are arrested, and Amanda holds one of the Cargan sailors at sword point to get them to cooperate. Amanda is warned against taking matters into her own hand, but the Cargan sailor is duly arrested. During the fracas, the party pick up a lead to check a Wizard Duelling Club on Chase Street.

At the club, the party bribe, argue and sneak their way in to find a duel underway. Things get heated, and one of the wizards starts summoning the undead. Simone gives in to the hungering inside her undead body and claws into the unconscious body of one of the competitors, proving far too beastly for Vermillion who makes a hole in the wall and a swift exit. The others pick up a lead to the College of the Stars, and after a short duel between Simon and Lionel they head on their way (through the hole in the wall) toward the College.

Through a busy Founders’ Square, the party makes their way to the College (a few minutes behind an impatient Amanda). They find the wizard they were following is actually one Professor Natasha Duval who eventually accepts her relation to Rebecca, but is interrupted by angry students in her quarters who claim Rebecca killed Duval’s husband and absconded with his quill out the window. The party don’t lose a moment and chase down out of the window to find a trail of blood into the sewers. Vermillion blank refuses to lower himself to that level and so follows the party along the surface, carrying their valuables.

A short rat battle later, Vermillion hops down into the nicer part of the sewer, where the party discover a Wayfinder, and hear the sobs of Rebecca. One flux maze later, involving copious amounts of food, the Wayfinder is reunited with his friends, and they head further into the sewer while the party return with Rebecca to the surface, clean up and head back (via an altercation with a street gang).

Upon returning, though, they are greeted not with Madam Baker but with Mage Swallow who explains that Rebecca is one of many people who have been reported missing. Given the party’s involvement with matters, they are asked to assist at a JAMID emergency conference in working out what to do. Madam Baker is reunited with Rebecca, and pays the party 27R each as promised.

Freeform 2: Crisis Meeting

The JAMID meets over lunch to discuss increased reports of people going missing across the city. Mage Swallow confesses to those present that this may be a result of an expedition to investigate the Stasis effect at the Peak of the World, though insists, along with Arch Dean Rath, that this was not their fault: their mages were instructed to investigate, not to do any sort of ritual.

A team is already preparing to go along to investigate further, so those present at the meeting bring together a group to escort them, made up of some present, and others who are contacted through flyers and word throughout the city.

Swallow also expresses a theory of connection to a figure in a red hood. Those who rescued Rebecca noted they had seen a figure in a red hood out and about in Founders’ Square, and this correlated with reports that the JAMID had had of people going missing. Locating this red-hooded individual is made a task that the escorts are encouraged to achieve as well.

Simone, concerned by her beastly attack on a wizard, petitions Arch Dean Rath of the Department of Curious Investigation at the College of the Stars for help with her Undeath problems. The Arch Dean explains that this could be possible, though the cost of the mana and the labour should be covered.

Adventure 3: Built on Sand

Brief

The Joint Acryn Magical Investigation Division urgently seeks escorts for a group of investigators to the Peak of the World. Highly skilled adventurers are required, for the success of this investigation may be imperative to the recovery of many missing people.

Characters

Summary

The party convenes to find a number of mages preparing to head off to the Peak of the World to investigate what happened to a group of mages who were meant to be investigating the Stasis. Mage Swallow asks the party to escort the mages, and if it becomes relevant to bring in an individual sighted wearing a red hood who may be relevant to the investigation.

The party head out, dealing with a protesting group who are angered by the mages who they hold responsible for the disappearances across the city. The escort the mages past the rebuilt wall and end up at the bottom of the Peak of the World where the mages begin their ritual. Not long into the task, though, they report whispering, and become on edge while the Rosemile trio prepare afternoon tea. The tea is nearly gone though, when suddenly there’s a terrifying SKREE and bursts of magical energy appear in the world, and an enormous and terrifying draconic creature emerging from thin air, battering down everyone who attempts to stop it, heading off toward the city.

Shaken, the mages try to restart the ritual and as it nears completion, the party spot the red-hooded person making a run for it into the city. They catch up, and eventually persuade her to calm down. She takes them to a nearby warehouse and they talk, but as they do she becomes on edge. She explains that she and the other mages slipped through into another reality: another world like Acryn but not, and this has caused cracks to fracture out through the world, throughout Acryn, and it’s these that people must have been falling into. The Red Hooded woman also says that there are dangerous horrors getting through, and soon they start appearing: draconic bursts of magic - wisps, tendrils… the sound of the monster they saw comes along and the party urge the woman to open a crack and bring them through. She refuses, believing it too dangerous, but instead opens up a crack for them to shift along and come out on on elsewhere in Acryn. The process is painful: the party feel something clawing at their very existence, and out the other end, Astraeus cannot mentally associate with his rank, and Unit-01 cannot associate itself with its name.

The party come under an onslaught from more draconic wisps, but the dust settles and gives them time to escape from an underground dungeon which begins collapsing around them. Luckily, they make it into the Flux and Lady Rosemile worldshapes away the danger until they reach the Consensus, where they find the facility they’re in falling apart around them. They head forward and find themselves in the Rampant’s Party Dungeon underneath Founder’s Square. The Builder-blessed pillars are starting to come down, and with the wait on the square up top, the whole place is set to collapse. As they try to help, there’s a terrifying SKREE and the monster from before appears once more, wailing into the party. The party bravely fight it off, but the square comes down, just as Lady Rosemile shakes reality’s fetters, dropping the place into flux before she begins worldshaping her and the Weatherses out, up to the surface and shapes the square back into form, but with a large Rosemile crest in the ground, and purple adorning the square.

The sounds of the monster remain below the square, but with it trapped and the red hooded woman safely in hand, they head back to the JAMID, whereupon they are thanked for their help, and paid 50R a head.

Freeform 3: A State of Emergency

At JAMID, the state of emergency is made quite clear. Concerns ramp up not only about the state of the city and the Otherside, but about the influence JAMID has had. Matters become more gravely concerning when it is confirmed that the Builder and the Rampant have both slipped through to the Otherside, and soon it is decided that a group should go through to investigate.

Opinions are split over whether such a group should be tasked with bringing back both the Builder and the Rampant, or whether they should go for just a look, and over food it’s eventually decided that Amelia Stone (the Red Hooded woman who can’t form an association with her own name, appearance, or rank) will take through a group to investigate this dark, mysterious place.

A call is made, a group assembles, and Stone warns them that this journey is going to be dangerous, perilous, and that they may not make it back.

Adventure 4: The Otherside

Brief

The Joint Acryn Magical Investigation Division seeks incredibly capable individuals to travel to this alternate realm and determine whether a rescue operation for the Rampant and the Builder is possible.

Characters

Summary

Having had the risks explained to them, Stone locates a crack in reality not too far from the JAMID conference, and completes the ritual to open it up. The party fall through, reality clawing at their very souls once more, but survive through unscathed. Upon arriving in the Otherside they find a place cold, harsh, dark, with a howling wind that cannot be felt. The divine influence of all but the Builder, the Rampant, and Armand the Rightful feels distant and weak, particularly that of the Warrior to Armand and Senta. The streets look like a fuzzy shadow of Acryn’s own, but there’s little time for sightseeing as they attract the attention of assorted shadows: some benign, others trying to claw some sense of self from the adventurers.

The waves continue, but the party fend them back long enough to start hearing the voices of some of the other shadows: words that sound familiar. They initially brush them off as tricks, but upon realising they were getting information they couldn’t possibly know realise they can hear back through into the real world.

The longer the party stay, though, the more attention they attract, and soon a horde of draconic creatures confront them: Turieann’s presence is very much there, and the dragon’s minions begin beating down the party. The valiant adventurers manage to fend them off, but plans to track down the Builder and the Rampant become more problematic the longer they spend waiting. Brother Tarkus creates two compasses: one to point to the Builder, one to the Rampant, coming of the source of divine power for himself and Toli, but it realises that the Builder will be several days’ travel.

Stone urges them to head to see the Keeper of this place, rather than hunt for the Rampant, whom she cares little for, and they agree, but along the way get attacked by draconic hordes in greater and greater numbers. They find the Keeper – an amalgamation god of a Unification Mage and a Wayfinder – fending off dragons. The Keeper is infuriated by their presence, explaining that the more powerful entities in the Otherside, the more dangerous it becomes. The Keeper also tries to explain that the Rampant is refusing to leave, and the Builder can’t be pushed back through from this side, but under the unrelenting tides of draconic aggression the words become muddied.

The party hold the line, and start pushing forward, but the world is weakened, with draconic aggressors continuing to flow in: Stone makes the decision and pulls the party out, caring for her own neck more than that of the Rampant.

Back in Real Acryn, the party insist they head to find the Rampant. Stone is hesitant, but the party is insistent and so they head to follow Brother Tarkus’s compass which leads them toward Founders’ Square and then away as the Rampant is on the move. Stone makes her distaste for this evil god quite known, and says she’ll only give them 5 minutes of time in the Otherside to persuade him out, otherwise she’ll pull them all out: Rampant or no Rampant.

They head through again, finding it easier a second time, and find the Rampant who has decided the place shall be his own god-realm, having befriended some draconic entities. The party try to reason with him, and he demands to be made legitimate, and to have his own festival day in the city. An agreement is in the process, but time is ticking and the Man of Many Means tires of the talking and initiates an attack. While they try to beat down the Rampant, Brother Tarkus fashions a prison box using the Builder’s divine power to speed his work, and between the lot of them they trap the Rampant in the box and travel back to Acryn via Stone.

Brother Tarkus stores the Rampant in his box at the Cult of the Machine, and the lot head back to JAMID in the morning.

Adventure 5: Build On

Brief

The Joint Acryn Magical Investigation Division seeks one final group of adventurers to bring together a plan to return the Builder to the correct reality and make a step to resolving the immediate crisis of the cracks through to the Otherside. Highly capable individuals should assemble at the JAMID conference at first light.

Characters

Summary

The party are briefed by Mage Swallow that with the help of Brother Tarkus’s compass, and with the Rampant recovered, they have a brief window of time in which to retrieve the Builder from the Otherside. Swallow suggests that they go to the final resting place of the Builder: his Greatest Work, a few days’ travel out of the city and there find a way through to the Otherside to pull him back. Swallow also tasks this party with making a final verdict on how to deal with the Otherside crisis, given they will be the last ones they intend to send through.

The party make some clarifications about the situation, before heading out to the Builder’s Greatest Work. The place is falling rapidly to disrepair, and local wildlife is disturbed. The wall Brother Tarkus previously built is falling down, and he expresses great concern for the safety of the prison holding in the Destroyer.

The party advance into the Builder’s Greatest Work and find there 5 rebuilt statues of the Founders. The party attempt to bow to them, but the statues assault them. Eventually, they are taken apart, but Brother Tarkus renews the statues just before the ground gives way and the party plummet through falling debris, floes of molten steel, and sharp beams, crashing down eventually outside the final resting place of the Builder, recognised by Brother Tarkus. Inside, stone guardians of the Builder declare Brother Tarkus to be “defiler” and assault the party. Senta, Lucian, Brother Tarkus and Stone identify a line throughout the middle of the room and Stone opens it up to transport the party to the Otherside.

The journey across is painful on the party, but particularly on Prim and Vulcan, who lose their ability to associate with their name and rank respectively. On the Otherside, there’s no time to stop and repair in the Flux: the Builder’s body is there as expected, but guarded by nasty draconic entities representing all of the Dragons. The party fights through and drags the large coffin of the Builder back and Stone transports them all back to the Real World.

The fighting isn’t over, however, as the guardians of the Builder’s body continue to assault the “defiling” Brother Tarkus who looks for Divine Inspiration to find a way to transfer the divine title of “The Builder”. Looking for a way out and a solution, Marlo calls down the divine miraculous resurrecting power of the Tender to bring life to the body of Tarkus, the Builder, so that he can repair the city. With a vessel to channel through miraculous divine power, the Builder instructs the party to keep the Defiler away, and empowers the party to assist in the construction of a mighty staircase out of the mausoleum.

Tarkus’s body leads the way to Acryn, to the source of the cracks at the Peak of the World, and there decrees that a great gateway should be built through which the energy and cracks could be channeled: putting the pressure on one spot to prevent people slipping through elsewhere. The party assist, while keeping a close eye on “Brother Tarkus”, as the portal goes up, but soon there’s a burst of draconic anger, and draconic entities attempt to rip the party and the portal down: the Acrynites see wings, claws, teeth, tails, with Senta seeing dark hooded figures. With the Builder’s injuries still too great, and Unit-03 trying to steal his power, and the Builder begins to falter, his hands failing him, but Marlo continues to channel the healing power of the Tender. His eyes start to shine a bright vibrant blue and his hair glows a golden blonde as healing power is channeled through him as the party heroicly fend off the assailing dragons. The portal is complete, and the Builder collapses to the ground, looking into the eyes of Marlo, and whispers “Allyssa, thank you.”

The portal complete, the cracks stop shining (the whole party can see them by now), but there’s a sudden earth-shaking KABOOM, and the Flux around them starts rippling, with tears through to the Otherside that the party beat back down, the Wayfinders in particular being able to close them up with their innate abilities, until the hole is closed, and an eerie silence falls. The cracks are dealt with, the Flux disappearing around the portal, and then all eyes fall to Brother Tarkus. Prim, having consulted with the Traitor during the melee, attacks the moving statue, to the confusion of the party who ask why. She cries “He’s going to do something terrible to the Builder”, and there’s a pause, followed by the words “I mean, he probably is”, before the party take down Unit-03, as Marlo picks up the body of the Builder and withdraws it to a safe distance.

Aftermath

The Joint Acryn Magical Investigation Division

The JAMID comes under heavy criticism for its role in the accidental creation of a “hell-dimension” and the risk this posed to the city. Walker Chill in particular lobbies the Wayfinders’ Guild to throw its weight against the JAMID for their muscling in on the Guild’s territory and the obvious Terrible Consequences that occurred as a direct result of this.

Prim throws her weight and connections behind this, particularly catching the attention of the Brotherhood of the Closed Eye. They are pleased with the complete dossier on the dangerous incompetence of the mages that they are provided with, and after careful consideration open up to allow her further into their organisation.

The JAMID soon crumbles under all the outside pressure against it and its members are charged with gross negligence leading to the city being put under grave danger. Mage Swallow, in court, takes sole responsibility for the monumental cock-up, and is sentenced to an indefinite prison sentence.

The Builder

Marlo liaises with the Builder Church to return the Builder’s body to its resting place. With the help of Vulcan Blacksteel, the damaged building is restored to its former glory, and the staircase constructed by the Builder and the adventurers who saved him is sealed off by the High Architect of the Builder Church and blessed with new Guardians to protect the Body of the Builder from those who would do it harm, including the Defiling “Brother Tarkus”.

Marlo searches around for evidence about the being that Brother Tarkus mentioned was imprisoned there. The ways through are blocked and dangerous, though, and the Builder Priests advise extreme caution, saying that a proper investigation will be done, but that they do not believe the Destroyer has escaped. No solid evidence of this is provided.

Marlo checks in with the vulture he befriended. It, and other nearby wildlife, is a lot more calm now the Builder’s body has been returned.

The Otherside Portal

Jimmy Hoskins is quick as ever to act, and though a few individuals get in and out of the Otherside beforehand, he manages to acquire the land on which the Portal to the Otherside is constructed (at a steep cost of 300R). He then liaises with Builder Architects and together they construct a great work over the top of the Portal, locking it off from the outside world, and maintaining control to this portal to only those with the Church’s blessing (or those who have the keys…)

The Wayfinder’s Guild, acting on the advice of Hardy Quinn, pushes to be allowed into the Otherside to be stabilised. Heavy resistance is met to the idea of making any sort of sweeping change to the Otherside now that the cracks have been neutralised as a threat to the city, but the pressure from the Guild brings the matter of the Gate to the attention of the Council as a matter to discuss. Hardy investigates also the wispy draconic entities in the Consensus, but finds none have appeared since the portal stabilised.

The Otherside

Batts Marbeq travels quickly through the portal before Jimmy can get it closed off in order to begin understanding the Otherside. He uses Taste of Knowledge and though it’s painful to start with he begins to get an understanding of the place that came to be by unifying the Consensus of the Real World and the undefined space that lies outside it, and attempting to Stabilise it simultaneously. He speaks with the Keeper, a unified entity of a Wayfinder and a Mage using Unification that felt the weave of the world and turned itself into a godling to protect it. The cracks, the Keeper explains, are the boundary between the Real world and what remains outside. The theory, though they have no weight of evidence behind it, is that these cracks may be one of the things that makes it easier for draconic entities to appear in some places than others.

Batts creates a home away from home, hoping to question the inhabitants of the area who have been there for some time, but is concerned to discover that those inhabiting this reality have only been there for as long as it’s been created: the entire Otherside having been brought into existence by the Wayfinder-Mage of the Keeper and nothing but dragons resided her before. Speaking of those, he discovers that the Dragons are much less aggressive here now than they were – the wisps that would appear were the starts of draconic invasions into whichever side of the cracks the dragons choose: projections of draconic force. The dragons aren’t gone though, as he discovers when he pulls out some Mana crystals and attempts to do a ritual to determine more about this place, and is sent fleeing across the world as draconic wyrms of Carlaeon appear at the site of the ritual and smash through the ghostly streets of Acryn, only held off by the work of the Keeper, who strongly suggests to Batts that he leave.

Batts dusts himself off and returns to the Real World where he presents his findings to the Colleges (JAMID by this point has crumbled), revealing his nature as a part-Fey being in the process. He is quickly offered cushy appointments in both the College of the Stars and the People’s College as “Expert Investigator into Matters of the Fey”, though both make it clear that now JAMID has failed, the offers are exclusive.

Toli also travels to the Otherside, with a large number of Tender worshippers distracting the guards put in place around the portal. On the Otherside, he finds it relatively calm and locates the Keeper. He explains the work he’s done to get the Rampant and the Builder out and the Keeper indeed acknowledges his work, and bestows upon him a blessing for his aid. It is not, as Toli had hoped, a Divine Favour, but a small pocket watch. The Keeper explains that in order to keep this world safe from the dragons, they’ve needed to move quickly to the nearest point of contact. This watch, they explain, will allow Toli to keep his friends safe, pointing like a compass to the nearest point of draconic incursion into whichever world they are in. The larger the dragon, the more accurate the watch.

The Rampant

As Toli, Felicity and Brother Tarkus discover when they go to search for the Rampant at the Cult of the Machine: the god has escaped. Toli and Felicity are able to track him down at one of his lesser known haunts (he’s decided to abandon the rave dungeon beneath Founders’ Square for now). Individually they speak to him.

Toli asks the Rampant if he appreciated his attempts to help him at the moment the fighting broke out, and of course that he was ready to help bust the Rampant out. Sigvald indeed appreciates it, though his ego is mildly bruised.

Felicity asks the Rampant who put him there, and he angrily identifies Brother Tarkus, Armand Cargan-Graves, Senta Fernbach, Leopold Street, and Lucian Graves as those responsibly. Felicity is livid, but glad the Rampant is free, and so tells him exactly about the portal through to the Otherside, how it’s stable, and exactly what sort of defences it has. She leaves it up to him what he does with that information.

Payment

In the next week, each of those went to the Otherside find 60R makes its way to them from the Darrish Estate, with Duchess Darrish citing “risking life and limb to investigate a dangerous new world that should not go unrewarded”.

The payments for the endeavours organised by JAMID for the capture of Jordan Weaver, the recovery of Rebecca Baker, and the successful escorting of mages and recovery of Amelia Stone make their way to the appropriate adventurers.

The City

Graffiti is being noticed around the city reading “Golems are people!”, and “Free the Clockwork Golems!” and similar rhetoric. Culprits are yet to be identified.

Founders’ Square is now brightly decorated in purple, with an enormous Rosemile Crest at its heart. The news of how Lady Rosemile and her associates saved the square from absolute catastrophe makes it across the city thanks to the Weatherses spreading the word, and the Rosemile printing press, making quite the positive impression of the Rosemile family upon the population, and amongst the raised concerns about control of magic and Wayfinding across the city begins begging the question “Where’s the Rosemile seat on the Council?”

Founders’ Square stallholders recover from the disaster over a few weeks, but the number of stalls and volume of people are moderated by the Watch to decrease the chances of a repeat disaster.

Monstrous sounds are occasionally heard from underneath the square. Watch patrols are increased in order to make sure no foolhardy adventurers investigate alone.

One night, there’s chaos in Acryn’s prisons as chains start trying to strangle the inmates. Guards act quickly, but many ruthless criminals are found dead by the chains that bound them. It is believed this was a magically caused incident, but no culprit has yet been found.

In the Council, and in reaction to the attempts of JAMID to create a horrible torture device out of a Wayfinder, the monopoly over Flux-related matters that the Wayfinders’ Guild has, and in response to several conversations, Armand Cargan-Graves presents a co-written “Bill of Rights” between himself and Alexander Everett. It declares that all citizens of Acryn are entitled to

Freedom from discrimination on the grounds of inherent characteristics or beliefs

Freedom of speech

Freedom from exploitation, and the right to form contracts

Freedom of enterprise

Right to vote (for those positions of public office that are elected)

Right to basic education

Right to representation in government

Right to the basic necessities for life - i.e. food and shelter

Right to stand for election

Freedom from cruel and unusual punishment

Armand presents this to the Council for endorsement, along with a recommendation that an independent court is elected to determine what constitutes a violation of these rights, and to settle between two competing sets of rights. The news of this spreads across the city, and Armand’s position and connections prevents the Council from simply writing this off from discussion. Corlo Graves, out of respect for Francesco’s wishes, throws his weight behind this one last time (though makes it clear that Armand is now on his own in the Council), and the Cargans (including Viciona) throw their weight behind it. The Council members note that this is a huge decision and declare it requires time to consider and discuss. It is added to the growing list of matters for the Council to discuss. Opposition and support is mixed, with different guilds not making their positions on the bill and its clauses public.

Council Matters

In the aftermath, the following matters are on the Council’s list for discussion:

The decision of what to do with the Otherside portal

Whether to implement the Cargan-Graves-Everett Bill of Rights

The proper regulation of magic

Characters

Simone L’Étincelle and Lionel Collins head to the Tender Church along with a sculpture created by Vermillion to show them the effects of her undeath affliction. They show that Simone is normally lovely, but she turns and attempts to devour Lionel, causing the Tender Church concern. However, they note that Simone’s donations have been sparse at best, and ask for a donation to continue to fund the work of the Tender Church. As a private person, she instead goes to Arch Dean Rath of the College and asks for his help. She coughs up the fee, and he begins his inadvisable experimentation. She feels life flow back into her, with a connection between her body and her soul being made once more. She feels quite well, except for one slight issue she realises as Arch Dean Rath takes out another mana crystal for another spell and an arcane hungering comes over her. A few minutes later, Arch Dean Rath is beaten to the floor as Simone gnaws upon a mana crystal before coming to her senses and helping him up.

Vulcan Blacksteel constructs a grand building for the Church of the Arcane Arbiter, and is chosen by High Priest Lucian Graves as its Champion.

Ambrosia alerts her contacts in the Traitor Church to the existence of Tabitha. Her contacts, who are a bit pressed at the time she talks to them, simply nod and take down copious notes, while smiling slightly disconcertingly at her. She does not treat her affliction – something noted by Dan South as they look after the Terrec estate.

The Man of Many Means returns to his lair home and prepares a second alchemical manipulation to perform upon his pet raven. He prepares a smoke bomb to try and make his raven smokey and wispy, but as he applies the manipulation, there’s a trembling in the poor bird and it explodes into a feathery mess. He considers what he’s observed, but as he does so, the feathers turn to smoke and reform together on the shoulder of the Man of Many Means as a smoky figure of itself. Curious, the Man considers what he’s seen, and recalls that the Raven was found locked inside the Vault of the Leader for some time so must be metaphysically significant, and perhaps this contributes to its ability to not be exploded. Perhaps, he concludes, if he were to acquire some similar metaphysically strong attribute (True Favour of a powerful Divine Being, incredible magical power, other metaphysically Significant effects), he could apply multiple to himself. He continues to experiment, and discovers that the Raven is considerably harder to keep Dead than it was.

Theophilius Cargan pushes the family, the Council, Jimmy Hoskins, and really anyone who will listen to launch a strike against the nest of Tuireann cultists at the Evil Eye as he believes that they have abducted Pig. His plan is met with a mixture of concern and enthusiasm, and the word “Senta” is thrown around a lot in muttered replies, but his point is acknowledged: something has to be done about the Evil Eye Cult.

Lady Rosemile investigates her understanding of the Flux and the space on the Otherside, and combined with research published by Batts comes to a conclusion that attempting to Unify the Consensus and the Undefined space is what caused this terrible catastrophe. It doesn’t quite explain the cracks fracturing so greatly though, and through continued study she begins to formulate a theory that the cracks could be scars in the world related to the Upheaval. With no solid evidence to back up this theory, there’s little progress that can be immediately made, but it pushes research in a more focussed direction (or at least would, if the Wayfinders’ Guild weren’t stuck in increasing legal arguments in the Council meetings)

The defeated “Brother Tarkus” is collected by the city watch and locked up pending trial. However, it becomes quickly apparent that nobody is sure what Brother Tarkus is on trial for. Senta Fernbach, feeling bad for someone (something?) she feels hasn’t wronged her, turns up and explains that the Builder had told them Tarkus was a defiler and should be stopped, and so an accusation of heresy against the Builder Church is made. However, Senta testifies more in favour of Brother Tarkus, and the Cult of the Machine throws its weight behind releasing the statue. The Watch, already having to deal with several high profile cases, and a long list of missing people to determine the location of, eventually decide to release Brother Tarkus on the word of Senta, but with the express condition that if Brother Tarkus is on probation: if it does anything to warrant its arrest again, Tarkus will be put on full public trial, and Senta’s reputation will be completely shattered. Free for now, Tarkus returns to the Cult of the Machine to discover that the Rampant has escaped the box (there’s a small hole through which many bees could have fitted). Brother Tarkus uses his time and remaining divine energy to secure the box, making it airtight and bee-tight should it need to use the box again.

Also in the courts, Tabitha makes a case for the bandit Antonia that they recovered. She puts the weight of House Terrec and her own legal knowledge behind the case, and the Watch (with little solid evidence against Antonia, and bigger things on their plate), make Antonia the responsibility of Tabitha, making sure she knows that if Antonia puts a foot out of line, Tabitha will be held responsible as her sponsor. Antonia is taken to House Terrec and made Tabitha’s maidservant. She is less than pleased about this. Tabitha also makes it clear that she’s interested in Antonia’s work being more in subterfuge and espionage. She is less than pleased about this. Tabitha gets the impression that “less than pleased” is a standard reaction.

Simon returns to the Wizard Duelling Club on Chase Street and becomes quite popular. He acquires a small fan club there, and gains access to use them once per adventure as a Gang of Hoodlums.

Astraeus follows the case of the villainous Wayfinder who was going to be turned into a Stabilisation Artefact by JAMID. As the organisation crumbles, Astraeus notices that the villainous Mr Weaver is transferred into the custody of the Wayfinders’ Guild. Astraeus is unable to follow him further past this point.

Nobody, disguised as the Archmage, having already persuaded Experiment Seventeen that something nasty involving slime should happen to all the city's inmates, finds his way to the Archmage's lair, where 'Sev' is a little dubious about the things the Archmage has recently “forgotten” about, but the experiment continues, and “the Archmage” suggests that something involving chains happen instead. 5 mana crystals later, the city is in shock as chains start throttling the prisoners they're supposed to be holding captive. The quick action of guards prevents a complete slaughter, but many villainous individuals are found dead, ranging from petty thieves, to murderers, the body count including Mage Swallow from the JAMID, and Lookout Pete who was detained by the party who brought in Jordan Weaver. With the experiment working, Sev is confused when the Archmage walks through the door, but turns back to see that the Archmage who was working alongside her was actually just another experiment all along. The Archmage demands to know what is going on, and Sev happily explains that they're enacting his great plan. The Archmage is highly confused, and an argument breaks out over what he allegedly said and did, while a paper-golem-shaped Nobody slips out.

Character Effects / Affects Summaries

Amy

Simone L’Étincelle

27R from “Missing People”

60R paid to treat Undeath

Loses “Undeath” Quirk

Effect: “Mana Addict”

Chaos

Dan South

18R from “A Joint Venture”

Lady Rosemile

50R from “Built on Sand”

Toli Nutt

This watch will point like a compass to the nearest site of draconic incursion into whichever world it is in. The larger and more dangerous the draconic incursion, the more accurate the direction. In Acryn, this points mostly toward the Evil Eye prison.

The Man of Many Means’s Raven is an obedient (albeit groggy) servant. It is black as dark smoke, has 3 hits, and can carry items no larger than a necklace. If reduced to 0 hits, it will disperse into a cloud of black smoke and reform over the course of 2 encounters. The Raven will take orders from the Man of Many Means, but has no means of communicating back to him.

Senta Fernbach

Senta’s reputation is on the line if “Brother Tarkus” does anything else wrong.

Unit-01

50R from “Built On Sand”

Effect: “Missing Your Rank” (see bottom)

Effect: “Wound in Reality” (see bottom)

Epic Tree: “Walked on the Otherside”

Seb

Batts Marbeq

50R from “Built on Sand”

Epic Tree: “Walked on the Otherside”

Job in either the College of the Stars or the People’s College as Expert Investigator into Matters of the Fey (Mechanically, Affiliation with whichever is chosen)

Hardy Quinn

27R from “Missing People”

Prim

Divine Favour of the Builder

Effect: “Missing Your Name”

Epic Tree: “Walked on the Otherside”

60R makes its way to you from the Darrish estate

Susannah

Felicity

Divine Favour of the Builder

Epic Tree: “Walked on the Otherside”

60R makes its way to you from the Darrish estate, followed later by a pair of Master Crafted velvet gloves to go with the waistcoat with a note from Olivia reading “Sigvald sends his gratitude”

Zac

Darius

50R from “Built on Sand”

Epic Tree: Walked on the Otherside

Simon Carter

27R from “Missing People”

18R looted from the King’s Head

Gang of Hoodlums fan base in the Chase Street Duelling Club

Vulcan Blacksteel

Divine Favour of the Builder

Effect: “Missing Your Rank”

Epic Tree: “Walked on the Otherside”

60R makes its way to you from the Darrish estate

Is now the Champion of the Church of the Arcane Arbiter

Loses the Mudra-forged sword and shield

Epic Trees

Walked on the Otherside

You have journeyed through the cracks that separate this reality from what lies on the Otherside and survived. You are able to see the energy pouring through active cracks, but will be unable to locate them if dormant (as all except the Portal to the Otherside is at the end of Dissonance.

If you have access to this Epic Tree, you will be able to get through to the Otherside (given a method through) without risking seriously ill effects on yourself.

Level 3

See the Cracks

Your experiences have allowed you to see faint cracks in Consensus where the world has been reforged. Once per adventure, you may spend 5 minutes of roleplaying to search for these cracks and can use them to find your way back to any connected section of Consensus by following them.

For those who are not Wayfinders, this ability may allow you to attempt to discern whether or not you are in Consensus. Be aware: the information you are given is at GM discretion: cracks are more common in built up areas such as cities, and less frequent in the countryside.

Level 4

Whispers from the Cracks

Once per adventure, you will be able to take 10 minutes to listen to the whisperings of the souls stuck in the Otherside. Listening to them carefully, you will be able to glean some information of importance that someone who has been observing the situation for a while longer than you might be aware of. What you overhear is at GM discretion.

Level 5

Open Up the Cracks

Once per adventure, in the Consensus, having found a crack, you will be able to ritually break it open to transport yourself and up to 9 other people with you along the cracks. You will be able to choose where (in a connected section of Consensus, within 1 mile) you are aiming to come out, and will be transported in that direction (likely, out of the current encounter).

Alternatively, you may use this ability to retire by penetrating through a crack directly into the Otherside, forming a permanent connection between this world and the Otherside, through which Draconic entities may flow and anyone may attempt to travel.

This retirement ability will not re-open all the cracks across the city by itself, but will create a large point of connection between the two worlds.

Specific Effects

Mana Addict

You have begun hungering for that which makes mages tick: mana. You have a constant roleplaying effect to hunger for mana (crystalline, channeled through spells, or any other). For one encounter per adventure with mana present, at GM discretion, this hunger will become insatiable until you can sate your hunger for mana through either trying to consume mana crystals, mana stored in an implement, or by being the subject of a ritual. For that encounter, you are also able to detect mana like a mage.

Mild Lycanthropy

You have been afflicted with a curse of the wolf, though your affliction is not as great as it could be. By day, you have no ill effects. By night, you will feel more canine: your voice will begin to growl, you feel a need to attack other animals of your size or smaller, but you also have a better sense of smell because of it. Once per adventure you may (at night) follow a trail with your nose, but whenever you do this, your connection with the wolf within you will be stronger: mild effects may occur at GM discretion.

Missing Your Name

Your name is missing. It will feel like something from a distant dream, or something someone told you that you can’t quite believe. Others can recall your name, and will be able to explain it to you, but neither they nor you will not be able to maintain an association of your name with your current self while you are not being reminded of it.

Any effects that require you to know your own name will not work unless you are being reminded of your name. Any mundane effects will still work as normal.

Your name may be restored by some metaphysical means. Consult a GM if you are attempting to restore it.

Missing Your Rank

Your rank is missing. It will feel like something from a distant dream, or something someone told you that you can’t quite believe. Others can recall your rank, and will be able to explain it to you, but neither they nor you will not be able to maintain an association of your rank with your current self while you are not being reminded of it.

Any metaphysical effects that require your own rank will not work unless you are being reminded of your name and will count as you having the same rank as an average Acryn citizen. Any mundane effects (e.g. Noble Connections, Guild Councillor) will still work as normal.

Your rank may be restored by some metaphysical means. Consult a GM if you are attempting to restore it.

Wound in Reality

You are the centre of a wound that penetrates reality. Through you, Draconic entities can more easily find their influence in the world. Until told otherwise you gain the following effects and should inform GMs at the start of any adventure.

Take a QUINT REND whenever you touch a mana crystal.

Draconic entities will recognise you as a Wound in Reality and are STRENGTHENED while fighting within 2m of you.

If you are the centre of a magical ritual, call MASS QUAD STRIKEDOWN at the moment that it completes. At that point, 4 DRACONIC WISPS with half of your hits doing half your ranks of damage will appear to attempt to tear the wound in reality open. You should explain this effect to the GM at the start of any adventure you play on.